Question

Which of the following fruits has an edible part as a pericarp?
(a) Guava
(b) Pear
(c) Grapes
(d) Both a and c

Answer 1

The pericarp is the outer wall of fruit which is divided into three-layer epicarp, mesocarp and endocarp. The pericarp develops from the ovary wall of the flower surrounding the seed. The fleshy pericarp is edible whereas some fruits where the pericarp is differentiated have non-edible epicarp.

Complete answer:
The Guava is known as Psidium guajava which is a simple berry fruit with edible parts pericarp, placentae and thalamus.
Pear which is also known as Pyrus communis is a simple pome type of fruit with edible part fleshy thalamus.
The Grapes is also known as Vitis vinifera with simple berry type fruit and the edible part is pericarp and placentae.

Additional Information:
Botanically fruit is divided into true, false and parthenocarpic, in which true fruit develops only from the ovary part of the flower, false fruit develops from adjoining accessory floral part and parthenocarpic fruit develop without fertilisation, but based on the number of ovaries and flowers which take part in fruit formation, fruit is divided into simple, aggregate and composite or multiple.
Simple fruit develops from a single ovary of a flower having monocarpellary and polycarpellary pistil.
Aggregate fruits having a group of fruitlets that develop from flowers having polycarpellary free gynoecium.
The composite or multiple fruits develop from the entire inflorescence and it is composed of closely associated fruits along with peduncle therefore composite fruit is also known as pseudocarps, inflorescence fruit and infructescence.

So, the correct answer is 'Both a and c'.

Note:
Fruit consists of all nutrient sources like vitamins, minerals, organic acids, pectin and sugars. Fruits like amla, datura, poppy, blackcurrant etc. Fruits protect immature seeds and provide coverage to developing seeds under the green foliage.